“Finally, ma’am, if you’ll allow me, I’ll touch upon another point.  I’ve thought over your objections to me.  It ain’t my rank—­I’m a noble; it ain’t money—­I’m worth a hundred thousand dollars; it ain’t my name—­for I call myself Atramonte.  It must be something in me.  I’ve come to the conclusion that it’s my general style—­my manners and customs.  Very well.  Perhaps they don’t come up to your standard.  They mayn’t square with your ideas.  Yet, let me inform you, ma’am, there are other standards of action and manner and speech than those to which you are accustomed, and mine is one of them.  Minnie doesn’t object to that.  She knows my heart is all right, and is willing to trust herself to me.  Consequently I take her, and I mean to make her mine this day.”

As the Baron paused Mrs. Willoughby began, first of all, to express her gratitude, and then to beg him to postpone the marriage.  She declared that it was an unheard-of thing, that it was shameful, that it was shocking, that it was dreadful.  She grew very much excited; she protested, she entreated.  Finally she burst into tears, and appealed to Lord Hawbury in the most moving terms.  Hawbury listened very gravely, with his eyes wandering over to where Ethel was; and Ethel caught the expression of his face, and looked quite confused.

“Oh, think, only think,” said Mrs. Willoughby, after an eloquent and pathetic appeal—­“think how the poor child will be talked about!”

“Well, really—­ah—­’pon my life,” said Hawbury, with his eyes still wandering over toward Ethel, “I’m sure I don’t—­ah—­share your views altogether, Mrs. Willoughby; for—­ah—­there are times, you know, when a fellow finds it very uncommonly desirable—­runaway matches, you know, and all that sort of thing.  And, by Jove! to tell the truth, I really admire the idea, by Jove!  And really—­ah—­I’m sure—­I wish most confoundedly it was the universal fashion, by Jove!”

“But she’ll be so talked about.  She’ll make herself so shockingly conspicuous.”

“Conspicuous?  By Jove!” said Hawbury, who seemed struck by the idea.  At that moment Minnie began talking to her sister, and Hawbury went off to Ethel, to whom he began talking in the most earnest manner.  The two wandered off for some distance, and did not return for a full half hour.  When they did return Ethel looked somewhat embarrassed, and Hawbury was radiant.  With this radiance on his face he went up to Mrs. Willoughby, leaving Ethel in the background.

“Oh, by-the-way,” said he, “you were remarking that your sister would be too conspicuous by such a hasty marriage.”

“Yes,” said Mrs. Willoughby, anxiously.

“Well,” I thought I would tell you that she needn’t be so very conspicuous; for, in fact—­that is, you know, Ethel and I—­she told you, I suppose, about our mistake?”

“Oh yes.”

“And I think I’ve persuaded her to save Minnie from being too conspicuous.”